How to Find the Right Mental Health Practitioner)Rebecca Adams)5/26/2016<p>While many Americans are familiar with
the process of finding a medical doctor that suits their nhttp://www.argosy.edu/our-community/blog/how-to-find-the-right-mental-health-practitioner

How to Find the Right Mental Health Practitioner

While many Americans are familiar with
the process of finding a medical doctor that suits their needs, not everyone is
comfortable and confident in doing the same when it comes to their mental
health practitioner.

"Selecting a mental health
practitioner doesn't have to be a headache," says Camille McDaniel,
adjunct professor of undergraduate and graduate studies at Argosy University,
Atlanta and founder/therapist at Healing Psychotherapy Practices of Georgia,
LLC. "If you feel comfortable asking, family members and friends can be a
great place to start looking for a practitioner. The Internet provides a wealth
of resources when it comes to mental health and can be a great place to look
into finding a provider to meet your needs. If you're more comfortable speaking
with a third party, your doctor and your insurance company can provide you with
referrals in this area."

Much as you would for selecting your
family physician, look for a mental health provider with the appropriate skill
set and bedside manner. "In addition to finding someone with the
appropriate training, experience and competence to treat your particular
issues, look for someone with the ability to establish rapport, develop trust,
good listening skills and a genuine interest in your well being," says Dr.
Amos Martinez, adjunct professor at Argosy University, Denver and Licensed
Clinical Social Worker. "The personal characteristics of a therapist are
good predictors of a positive therapeutic outcome."

Both Martinez and McDaniel recommend
interviewing your prospective provider before seeking treatment. "It is
important to understand the methods or approaches used by the therapist,
their fees, and whether you can relate to them in a face-to-face session,"
says Martinez. "Several mental health providers do not charge for initial
consultations and are required, in some states, to provide you with a
disclosure statement containing information about their academic background,
licenses or certifications, methods of treatment, exceptions to confidential
communications, and a statement about your rights as a client."

When interviewing a potential provider,
describe the challenges you are facing and ask about how they, as a
practitioner, approach those kinds of issues. Find out basics such as the
length of a session, fees and fee policies and discuss your insurance.
"Just as with your medical doctor, as a consumer, you have the right to
know approximately how long therapy may last and whether the method or methods
used by the therapist are generally accepted or experimental methods,"
says Martinez.

What can you expect on your first
visit? Expect on your first visit to fill out forms and answer quite a few
questions. A detailed history will be taken, which will help the practitioner
determine how to best support you. The history will include your current
concerns/challenges, medical history, mental health history, risks for harm,
alcohol and/or drug use, abuse history (verbal, physical, sexual, emotional),
legal issues, work issues, school issues, family history and support systems in
place.

"Mental health therapy requires
work on both sides of the treatment session," says Martinez. "When
you feel comfortable discussing any issue with your therapist and the therapist
regularly reports any progress in therapy to you, those are indicators of a
good fit."